*This material was composed based
on a workshop conducted by Carolyn Gellerman, The Boeing Company.

Note: This activity is quite complex and requires a facilitator with excellent people
skills. Depending on group size, the activity can take anywhere from an hour and fifteen
minutes to an hour and forty-five minutes - the larger the group, the more time this will
take. The point of the Work Styles Profile is to understand and come to value the
diversity of work styles in the group. Thus, it is best to have a large number of people
engaged in the activity; if you have too few people, you may not have some of the work
styles represented. Since the fun part is to see the interactions of the different work
styles, it may be worthwhile to recruit others to engage in the activity with your
"team" (secretary, colleagues, significant others).

Copies of Descriptive Inventory for each person
Copies of Scoring Graph for each person
4 - 8 pieces of poster paper for Group Profile presentations
Extra poster paper for note taking
Pencils or pens
Marking pens
Masking tape
Camera for taking pictures of Group presentations (optional)

Getting ready:
Do the complete activity yourself first (this will take you about 20 minutes) so that you
know what your own Work Style Profile is and can refer to yourself during the activity.
Tape a couple of sheets of poster paper to the wall for note taking.

Procedure:
Explain that the activity involves gaining a deeper understanding of ones own
personal work style and how that work style fits into teamwork.

Enter the activity with lots of humor; people may be nervous about revealing themselves
and how they think or act. Reassure them by explaining that this is to be a light-hearted
look at their personal work styles and is not meant to be a heavy psychological,
scientific analysis of personality and that work style is sometimes situational.

Distribute a pen or pencil and a copy of the Descriptive Inventory to each person.

Direct them to check one word or phrase in each box that best describes them. This is a
"forced choice" activity; you can only choose one word in each box. Tell them
that they shouldnt think too much about which word or phrase they should check
 they should go with their first reaction.

As soon as individuals complete the Descriptive Inventory give them the Scoring Graph
and ask them to follow the directions to complete the graphs.

When everyone has completed both a Descriptive Inventory and a Scoring Graph, tell them
that together you are going to develop "caricatures" for the different work
styles and that these, of course, are exaggerations. This section, which characterizes the
behaviors of the various work styles, needs to be facilitated with humor and kept very
light. You dont want folks to get defensive about their work style but to celebrate
it and note the wonderful contributions each particular work style has for a team. As the
facilitator, refer to your own style often in a humorous way and be willing to reveal
yourself.

Ask the group to give four or five descriptive words for someone whose longest bar was
column 1 (look back on the Descriptive Inventory). Write the number 1 on a poster paper
with the title: Work Style Caricatures and note those words under the number 1.

Do the same for columns two through four. (The poster papers will look something like
this).

Tell the group that folks with the tallest shading in column one can be labeled
"Doers" and write Doer next to the number 1 on the poster paper.

Doers:

are task oriented,

like to direct the action,

dont like to share the TV remote control,

are present time frame oriented,

act swiftly.

Tell the group that for Doers, the maximum need is for Results and
write the word Results under the first column of words. Ask the group since Doers can be
very task driven, how might they be perceived (pushy, dominating)? Emphasize that this
isnt how they really are  they just want to get the work done.
They can be the Drivers of a group  write this next to Results.
Your poster paper will look something like this.

Tell the group that folks with the tallest shading in column two can
be labeled "Expressives" and write Expressive next to number
two on the poster paper.

Expressives:

are people oriented,

like to be in the middle of the action,

would rather tell stories than watch TV  forget the remote control,

are future time frame oriented,

act on intuition.

Tell the group that for Expressives, the maximum need is for Excitement
and write the word Excitement under the second column of words. Ask the group since
Expressives can be very animated and dramatic, how might they be perceived (undisciplined,
egotistical)? Emphasize that this isnt how they really are  they are just enthusiastic
about the work. They can be the Intuitors of a group 
write this next to Excitement.

Continue with column three and column four. For the sake of brevity, these are
summarized below.
Amiable  column three

Amiables:

are people oriented,

like to support the action,

give you the TV remote control,

are present time frame oriented,

act cooperatively.

Maximum need  Acceptance
May be perceived as conforming, unsure.
They just really want to work cooperatively.
The Feelers of a group

Analytics  column four
Analytics:

are information oriented,

like to contribute data to the action,

want to know how many stations you get with the TV remote control,

are historic time frame oriented,

act on data.

Maximum need  Accuracy
May be perceived as picky, critical.
They just really want the correct data to do the work.
The Thinkers of a group.

After developing the caricatures, your poster paper should look something like this.

Ask people with similar long bars to gather in groups. Thus, all analytics form a
group, expressives form a group, etc.

Give them poster paper and marking pens and, referring to their groups work
style, ask them to take the next 15 - 20 minutes to develop their Group Work Style
Profile. They are to discuss and record:

How We Help A Team

How We Might Hinder A Team

How We Might Be Misperceived

Song/slogan/poem/saying That Captures The Essence Of Our Work Style

When the groups have completed their Group Work Style Profile, have them present their
profiles to each other. You might want to take photographs while they present.

Make sure people understand that the point of the Work Style Profile activity is to:

understand and value the work style diversity that exists within the team;

see that every style makes valuable contributions to teamwork;

realize that everyone has the responsibility to "fill in the gaps" that may
exist on a team.

Please note: The inventory and scoring
charts shown below are each on a separate page in "Changing What We Do", but may
be split across two pages if printed from this web representation.

Descriptive Inventory*
Work Style Profile

Check the word or phrase in each set
that is most like you.

1.__

2.__

3.__

4.__

Competitive

Joyful

Considerate

Harmonious

1.__

2.__

3.__

4.__

Tries new
ideas

Optimistic

Wants to please

Respectful

1.__

2.__

3.__

4.__

Will power

Open-minded

Cheerful

Obliging

1.__

2.__

3.__

4.__

Daring

Expressive

Satisfied

Diplomatic

1.__

2.__

3.__

4.__

Powerful

Good mixer

Easy on others

Organized

1.__

2.__

3.__

4.__

Restless

Popular

Neighborly

Abides by rules

1.__

2.__

3.__

4.__

Unconquerable

Playful

Obedient

Fussy

1.__

2.__

3.__

4.__

Self-reliant

Fun-loving

Patient

Soft-spoken

1.__

2.__

3.__

4.__

Bold

Charming

Loyal

Easily led

1.__

2.__

3.__

4.__

Outspoken

Companionable

Restrained

Accurate

1.__

2.__

3.__

4.__

Brave

Inspiring

Submissive

Timid

1.__

2.__

3.__

4.__

Nervy

Jovial

Even-tempered

Precise

1.__

2.__

3.__

4.__

Stubborn

Attractive

Sweet

Avoids

1.__

2.__

3.__

4.__

Decisive

Talkative

Controlled

Conventional

1.__

2.__

3.__

4.__

Positive

Trusting

Contented

Peaceful

1.__

2.__

3.__

4.__

Takes risks

Warm

Willing to help

Not extreme

1.__

2.__

3.__

4.__

Argumentative

Light-hearted

Nonchalant

Adaptable

1.__

2.__

3.__

4.__

Original

Persuasive

Gentle

Humble

1.__

2.__

3.__

4.__

Determined

Convincing

Good-natured

Cautious

1.__

2.__

3.__

4.__

Persistent

Lively

Generous

Well-disciplined

1.__

2.__

3.__

4.__

Forceful

Admirable

Kind

Non-resisting

1.__

2.__

3.__

4.__

Assertive

Confident

Sympathetic

Tolerant

1.__

2.__

3.__

4.__

Aggressive

Life-of-party

Easily fooled

Uncertain

1.__

2.__

3.__

4.__

Eager

High-spirited

Willing

Agreeable

* Source: Carolyn
Gellerman, The Boeing Company

Scoring Graph*

Work Style Profile

Directions:

Count the number "ones" that you checked.
Write that number in the empty square at the bottom of column number one. Do
the same with the numbers two, three, and four.

For the first column, draw a line through the number
within the column that corresponds with your total number of "ones." This
is the end line of you bar graph for the first column.

Beginning at the bottom of the column, shade in the
column up to your end line.

Do the same for the second, third, and fourth
columns.

The column in which your shading is tallest, is your
predominant work style. Your backup work style is the column in which your shading
is second tallest.

* Source: Carolyn Gellerman, The Boeing
Company

From Changing What We Do
by Karen Hollweg and Carole Kubota with Phyllis Ferrell, copyright 1998 by NAAEE